Sources: Bulls trade forward Nikola Mirotic to Pelicans

The Chicago Bulls have traded forward Nikola Mirotic to the New Orleans Pelicans, league sources told Yahoo Sports.

The Pelicans are sending center Omer Asik, guards Tony Allen and Jameer Nelson and a future first-round draft pick to Chicago, which will send New Orleans’ 2018 second-round pick back to the Pelicans, league sources said. As part of the deal, the Pelicans will guarantee Mirotic’s $12.5 million team option for the 2018-19 season, league sources said. Mirotic signed a two-year contract in free agency last summer, which gave him rights to veto any trade for a year if the team involved didn’t guarantee the option.

Mirotic is in the midst of his best season, averaging 16.8 points, 6.4 rebounds and 42.9 percent shooting from 3-point range. In three-plus seasons with the Bulls, Mirotic averaged 11.4 points and 5.4 rebounds.